Hex's club Medusa,
was alive with chatting voices, loud music, and the hum of excitement that
always permeated the establishment. People made room for the commanding figure
that moved purposefully through the crowd.

Tall and muscular, Enzo
Matrix known only as 'Matrix' to everyone else but family made his way to the
rear of the room.

Sprawled in her private
booth surrounded by the finest foods and drink, Hexadecimal seemed apparently
at ease with her guest. The moment Matrix saw the man named Laroux, he didn't
like him and Matrix's instincts were never wrong.

He had promised Bob he would
have a little chat with the man people were beginning to refer to as Hex's
boyfriend, although they had only been seeing each other for a cycle. Matrix
hadn't gotten a chance to approach the man until now.

He wanted to make this
quick and get back to AndrAIa as soon as possible. He was worried about her.
Eight minutes pregnant and the doctor had told them she could go into labor any
second.

Matrix allowed himself a
rare smile. If anyone had told him seven hours ago that this would be where he
was in life he would have thought them random. No, things hadn't worked out
like he planned. He was older and he liked to believe a little wiser. He
wouldn't change things even if given the chance.

As he stepped up to the
booth both occupants looked up at him. Laroux's face registered mild interest,
but Hexadecimal beamed at him.

"Colonel
Matrix!" She clasped her hands, "What a pleasant surprise! What
brings you to my establishment?"

"Actually,"
Matrix's eyes fell on Laroux, "I'd like to speak to your dinner guest for
a moment - alone."

"Oh really?"
Hex tilted her head in her classic look of intrigue. "Well then you'd
better go in back. I'll be waiting her for you Golden One."

Laroux slid from the
booth, took Hex's hand and kissed it, then with a glance at Matrix, preceded
him out the rear door.

Outside in the cool night
air, Matrix leaned against the wall. The beat of the music pulsed around him.
"Enjoying Mainframe so far, Mr. Laroux?"

"I'm here on
business."

"So I've been
told," Matrix said, "And is Hex part of that business?"

"No, she's -
relaxation."

"She'd better be
more than just relaxation." Matrix said. "A lot of people care about
her you know."

"So I've seen,"
Laroux said, "What is it that you really want Colonel?"

Matrix smiled, a sure
sign that the recipient of that smile was in trouble, "I want you to
conclude your business and get off my system, but until you commit a crime,
there's little I can do. So be warned, when you do whatever you really came
here for, watch your back, because if I catch you well --,"

"Your warning is
noted," Laroux said. "Don't worry. I won't be here for much
longer."

"That's nice to
know," Matrix smiled, "Good night Mr. Laroux." And Matrix turned
and walked off into the darkness. He would have to keep an eye on this one.
Matrix's instincts were telling him that he would soon be confronting Laroux
and on very different grounds.

***

Raven didn't return to
the club immediately. He leaned against the wall and closed his eyes. The one
thing he noticed about this system was that everyone was always in somebody
else's business. He supposed that was their way of showing they cared. To Raven
it was annoying.

So far, Hex had not said
anything that would indicate Dot Matrix was involved in any illegal business
practices and his observances of Mainframe's Command.com also didn't seem
indicative of such.

He had wanted to make a
search of the database in Hex's Gallery. That had been an experience in itself.
Raven had stolen into her office under the pretext of leaving her a gift. He
had opened the door and fallen into a dark abyss of light, sound and geometric
shapes. Apparently, no one entered Hex's office without her permission. He
didn't know how long he had been in there before Hex had rescued him. He didn't
try it again.

His next move would be to
break into the Bookmark Tower when the opportunity arose and download their
database to his ship's computers. He knew he was running out of time. People
had been shadowing him for the past few seconds. He had to make his move now. He
already had his plans in place.

Raven re-entered the club
and Hex smiled when he approached the table. "Now my dear what were we
discussing?"

"Well you were
discussing my business associates and I told you I wanted to talk about
something else."

"I just finds the
aspects of your business fascinating," Raven said. "Hexadecimal,
gallery owner, club owner. Is there anything in New Lost Angles you don't
own?"

"Maybe," Hex
smiled, "Who wants to know?"

***

Seven hours into the
past

It had been a long night.
Bob drank his third cup of java and looked over the reports once more. Still no
sign of the viral presence. Surely they couldn't have been pre-warned this
quickly?

"Prime
Guardian?" Rule walked in, "There's a lady here to see you."

"What time is it,
Rule?"

"Oh seven
hundred," she said.

Bob muttered an oath. He
had a feeling he knew who it was. He hadn't gotten a good nights downtime and
in one millisecond, he was supposed to appear before the Citizens Council.

"We've been informed
that Web Alliance has a contact within this Hall and I want to know who."

"Did Lynx tell you
that?"

"Is it true?"

Desdemona was silent.

"Thought so.
Desdemona, I will release Lynx but if you or your organization do anything to
hinder or disrupt my investigation you'll all end up in the detention center am
I making myself clear?"

"Crystal, sir,"
Desdemona said. "But the people deserve to know."

"Since you know next
to nothing about this investigation, you're not qualified to be the one to
inform them and if you make the attempt to spread rumors and cause a panic I
will have you incarcerated. Rule?"

"Sir?"

"Inform the guards
at the detention that Captain Lynx is to be released immediately,"

"Yes sir."

"Good day,
Desdemona."

"See you in an
millisecond, Prime Guardian."

Bob contacted Matrix and
Tempus. He had just enough time to get ready and meet them at Outlook Center.
It was the last thing he wanted to be doing. A few micros later Rule entered
his office again. "Um sorry sir?"

"Yes Rule."

"Captain Lynx left
you a message." She said. "He said the meeting for today has been
cancelled and he requests that it be rescheduled for tomorrow at the same
time."

"Fine," Bob
said. "I'm going home to get some sleep, if any new reports come in --
,"

The ringing of the
vid-phone cut him off. With an exasperated sigh, Bob opened a window.
"Yes? Mouse."

"Dom's taking it
pretty hard. She's not the only one missing though. That girl, Pixel Shim, is
also missing."

Bob lowered his head
fighting his exhaustion. "Any clues?"

"None yet,"
Mouse said. "The last we saw of her, she went to bed late last night. She
lives here at the factory in one of the offices, so we thought she'd be okay.
She didn't show up for work this morning. Dom went to get her and found signs
of a struggle in the room."

"Nobody saw or heard
anything?"

"No."

"Can you and Ray
handle it? Do you need assistance?"

"Not yet. Hey sugah,
shouldn't you be going to that meeting?"

"They cancelled it.
Which reminds me, I have to call Matrix," Bob looked up as Katiyana
entered. The Keytool Mistress sat without speaking. Bob gave her a tired smile.
"Mouse keep me informed of any new developments."

"Sure Bob and I
thought we told you to stick to Matrix?"

"He's with Tempus
assisting in the search. I'm safe here."

"Sugah, it ain't
safe nowhere."

When the connection
closed the first thing Katiyana said was, "Have you slept at all?"

"Sleep? What's
that?"

"Get some rest Bob.
You know you have quarters here you can use. Just sleep a little. I can watch
things here."

"No," Bob said.
"Now that SiRCe has gone missing I'm more determined than ever to get some
answers. I just wish there was something more I can do."

"You have the
investigations going, what more can you do?" Katiyana said. "I
understand that the meeting was cancelled?"

"Yes, thank the
User," Bob sat heavily down and yawned, then reached for the now cold
java.

"You're working too
hard."

Bob chuckled, "I
never thought anyone would say that to me." He leaned back in his chair
and despite himself, his eyes drifted closed. He heard Katiyana rise. The
ringing of the vid-phone jarred him into wakefulness. "Yes?"

To his surprise, Peg
Walrod's face appeared, "Bob, I need you to come down to my sector right
away."

Always forward,
"What's wrong Peg?"

"You had better see
this," Peg said and bring a team with you. "Come as quickly as you
can."

***

It had been a long night,
but Peg Walrod continued to work to get her sector online. She smiled at that. Her
sector. She would have never thought it. Peg stood on the steps of Aunt
Judy's clinic and smiled.

"Peg!"

"Yes, Aunt
Judy?"

"You've been up all
night. When are you going to get some downtime?"

"Later, I'm too
excited," Peg said.

"Don't tell me
'later' young lady you need to sleep."

"I will later,
Aunty, I promise."

"Peg!" One of
her binome foremen approached her, "We've got a problem over on Hyper
Drive."

"Now what?"

"There's a ditch
full of muddy water there, caused by the bombings. Kids have been playing
around it. They're still there, but they won't tell us who their parents are or
where they're supposed to be," he said. "We also need you to unlock
the storehouse so we can get the drainage pump."

"All right."

"Can't someone else
do that?" Aunt Judy asked.

"Aunt Judy, you know
I'm the only one with the codes to the storehouse lock," Peg said.
"Besides I believe I know who this group is." Peg decompressed her
zip board. "Aunty I promise as soon as I finish this, I'll get some
rest."

"Oh all right,"
Aunt Judy threw her hands up in exasperation and walked back into the clinic.

Peg skimmed over the city
streets followed by her foreman. The ditch on Hyper Drive was a gaping jagged
hole where a building once stood, the unfortunate victim of a plasma bomb. From
her vantage point, Peg could see the group of children sitting on the ground
well away from the ditch and it was who she first suspected. First she went a
few blocks down the street to the storehouse they had been using and punched in
the codes. Several workers came to assist in getting the pump running and
transporting it to the ditch. Peg flew back and landed into front of the small
group of children varying in ages from eight to eleven.

Peg approached who she
knew to be the ringleader, "Well Rich, what have you got to say for
yourself?"

"We weren't doing
nothing." Rich pouted.

"Anything," Peg
corrected. "And I think playing around a ditch filled with dirty water is
something. What if someone had fallen in?"

"Nobody would of
fallen in," Rich said sullenly.

"Now don't you
backtalk me young man," Peg said. "I'm responsible for you all --
,"

"Nobody asked you to
be," Rich muttered.

"I know nobody asked
me to be but I am so deal with it. As long as I am you'll abide by my rules,
got it?" She eyed them all.

"Yes Peg," they
all said in unison.

"Peg?"

"Yes?"

"Can we watch them
drain the ditch?"

"Yes, you may,"
Peg said. "And to make certain you don't get near I'm staying right by
you."

Rich sat and sulked for a
few nanos but was soon caught up in the activity.

Peg was mildly interested
for a time then her mind began to wander, particularly to a handsome
green-skinned sprite. She smiled slightly, knowing she shouldn't, but she
imagined those strong arms around her and that grim mouth pressed against her
--,

"Hey look at
that!"

Rich's exclamation
brought her out of her guilty fantasy. She looked at where he was pointing. The
water level in the ditch was surprisingly low but what caught her attention and
the attention of everyone present was a large shape bobbing on the surface.

"Pixelacious! What's
that?"

Peg stepped forward and
squinted at the shape, then her hand flew to her mouth, "Get the kids out
of here now!"

"Peg, what is
it?" Rich asked. "What is it?"

One of the workers began
to herd the kids away, even as they protested.

"I want this area
blocked off immediately!" Peg screamed. "No one goes in or out,
understand?"

Workers ran to do her
bidding. Peg watched as the water level decreased and the thing disappeared
below the surface for a time, then reappeared. Peg's eyes never left it.

When finally, there was
nothing left in the ditch but ankle-height muddy water, a group of shocked and
horror-struck people saw the shape for what it really was. But even more
disturbing was the sight of a second smaller one.

"My User," Peg
said. "What a horrible way to delete."

***

I'm getting really
sick of seeing this place, Bob thought, bitterly. In his exhaustion, everything around him
seemed unreal. Sharp edges were softened; people's faces were blurred images.
Bob watched Rose at her work as she examined the bodies.

It had taken some time to
retrieve them from the ditch. The thick mud had hindered their efforts. Bob had
supervised the operation while Peg had kept her people calm. Bob knew there was
no way they could hide this incident. They had called for a special transport
and Bob had accompanied them to the medical center.

He didn't know what time
it was, sometime past fourteen hundred. He hadn't eaten or slept, and both
things were of little concern to him now.

"Bob!"

The Prime Guardian turned
at the sound of Matrix's voice. Colonel Tempus closely followed the renegade.

"Bob what --?"
Then he saw through the window. "Oh no."

"It's them,"
Bob said, his voice was hoarse. "The missing father and son."

"Peg found them in
her sector?"

Bob nodded mutely.
"She acted quickly. The area was sealed off and I left a security team
there."

"Bob are you
okay?" Matrix asked.

Bob looked at Matrix as
though seeing him for the first time, "Look at him, Matrix."

"Who, Bob?"

"The little
boy." Now everything around Bob looked to be shrouded in fog. He couldn't
understand what was happening to him. "The bodies don't look like the
other ones but they didn't fragment either."

"Prime Guardian,
I'll go and see to the team guarding the sector," Tempus suddenly said.

"All right
Colonel," Bob didn't even glance back at him. He eyes were riveted to the
scene playing out before him.

"What do you suppose
it means?" Matrix asked.

"I don't know,"
Bob was surprised at the hoarseness in his voice. "Look at him
Matrix." He turned to the renegade, then back to the window. "He's so
young. No more than ten hours. That - could be - Little Enzo."

"Bob? Bob you don't
look well. Are you all right?"

"Enzo --," Bob
suddenly felt his knees buckle.

"Bob!"

The room spun crazily and
a wave of dizziness engulfed him. Bob heard a groan, realized it was coming
from his throat and then there was nothing.

***

Surreal shapes and
blurred images suddenly came into clarity. Bob squinted against the light from
the setting sun falling over his face, "What in the net?"

"Welcome back,
sugah."

He was laying in a bed
and a quick examination of his surroundings told him he was in one of the rooms
at the medical center. His gaze fell on his flame-haired mercenary friend,
"Mouse? What happened?"

"As to what's been happening,
Matrix returned to the Hall to contact Dot," Mouse said. "Colonel
Tempus is leading the team investigating the area where the remains were found.
Rose is still running tests but since I last asked, she hasn't come up with
anything new. Ray stayed at the factory. We started hacking into SiRCe's
records for clues to her disappearance. You know, seeing if she has any
enemies. I came here when Matrix called."

Bob sat up, "Dot's
going to be worried out of her mind."

"That is an
understatement."

Bob looked up to see Dot,
Matrix and AndrAIa standing in the door.

"Dot!" Bob
said.

"Sorry Bob,"
Matrix smiled apologetically. "They insisted on coming."

"Are you all
right?" Dot crossed the room to him.

Although he was glad to
see her, he was somewhat embarrassed as well, "I'm fine - they say I fai -
collapsed from exhaustion."

Mouse turned and walked
to the door, "Come on you two, we have work to do."

"Figures," Bob
said. "Right now, we need to see Dot home, then I want to check out the
progress of the investigations and the searches."

"Okay Bob,"
Matrix seemed relieved. Bob figured it was because he wasn't immediately
sending him back to Mainframe.

Upon arriving back at
Council Hall, Rule immediately approached and told him there were several
messages waiting for him. Bob took them into his office.

"She's pretty,"
Dot commented when the door closed.

Matrix coughed
discreetly.

"Hmm, what? Oh yes,
I suppose," Bob said. "I hadn't really noticed."

"Good, Prime
Guardian. Very good."

Bob grinned at her.

The first message was
from Mouse, reporting that there were no new developments in the search for
SiRCe and Pixel Shim. Dom was beside himself with worry. Bob felt a tug of
sympathy for the former rebel leader. By the time on the message Bob knew it
was an old one, so he deleted it.

The second, much to Bob's
annoyance was from Lynx.

"Prime
Guardian," Lynx said, "This is to verify that the representatives of
the Guardian Collective are to report for the second meeting of the Citizens
Council tomorrow at oh-eight hundred. In addition, we respectfully request that
the virals Hexadecimal and Melissa be present as well and Dot Matrix and the
mercenary know as Mouse."

"What?" Dot
said, "What in the net does he want me there for?"

"I don't know, but
it's bound to be trouble." Bob said.

"Are you really
going to bring Hex and Melissa?" Matrix said.

"I'm going to see if
they're willing to go," Bob said, "But I won't force them. Lynx will
have to deal with it. Mouse, however, won't have a problem with it."

Bob replied to the
message stating his intentions. It was then that Colonel Tempus called to
advise them that the situation was relatively calm considering the seriousness
of the events. The team was searching for clues and Peg's people cooperated or
steered clear. Peg requested a security team, which of course, Bob supplied.
Tempus stated he'd stay with the team until they finished their examination.
Bob informed him that he was going back to Mainframe, but would return in the
morning, something to which Tempus heartily agreed. He was annoyed that Bob had
worked himself into a state of exhaustion.

"Even a soldier
knows when to rest," Tempus had scolded.

Once Bob was certain
everything was in order they portalled home. Bob checked in with Phong before
saying his goodnights to Dot and returning to his apartment. It was dark when
Bob arrived. He was feeling grungy so he took a quick shower and collapsed into
bed.

*

Bob slept, waking only
once to check the time; surprised to find it was almost twenty-one hundred. He
contemplated checking his messages, then decided if he had any really important
ones, they would have awakened him. He drifted off.

*

Something, he didn't know
what, jarred him awake.

Bob lay still, sprawled
on his back across the bed. His core-com was a rapid beat against his chest and
a shudder raced across his body. Something was horribly wrong. Someone -
something was there in the room with him.

A paralysis gripped him.
Bob struggled to move. As he lifted his right arm, something black and oily
wrapped itself around his wrist.

"User, no!" Bob
jerked his arm forward only to have the black thing pull back, pinning his
wrist to the bed's surface. Bob went to reach for the thing with his left hand
and felt another cold tendril wrap around his left, securing it down.

"No!" Bob cried
again. He kicked out as he saw a dozen of the tendrils come snaking over the
bed, to seize his legs, tying him down. Bob cried out in defiance, his back
arched as he struggled. Muscles pulled taut.

"Why do you struggle
my Dariem?"

The sound of that voice
stole his power of speech. His eyes went impossibly wide. His breathing was
labored. Movement within the darkness that Bob sensed more than saw and the
accompanying stench of evil decay that Bob was so familiar with sent a shudder
of revulsion through him.

She came from the
darkness. She stood at the foot of the bed and smiled maliciously at him. Her
eyes burned with feral hunger.

"Did you believe
death would keep you from me, my Dariem?" She whispered. "I will
always be a part of you. You belong to me."

"Never!" Bob
screamed.

Her amused chuckle
infuriated him, "Try to escape your bonds."

Somehow, Bob knew he had
no power, yet he called to it and growled in frustration when nothing happened.

"You see?" She
said. "You are completely helpless and at my whim."

"You're not
real," Bob said. "This is a nightmare." He struggled to wake
from his slumber.

"It will do you no
good," she walked around to the right side of the bed, "Ah, my
Dariem."

"I'm not Dariem! I'm
Robert Lan - Prime Guardian of the New Collective."

Again that amused
chuckle. She held both her hands over him. Her claws extended. Bob's breathing
became erratic, his struggles intensified. The tendrils constricted viciously
around his limbs, cutting off his circulation.

"Don't touch
me!"

She laid her hands on his
chest and Bob was repulsed. With her claws she tore gashes across his skin and
Bob flinched against the stinging pain. Blood began to pool from the wounds.
Powerless and immobile, Bob could only endure it. Daemon withdrew unexpectedly.
She moved away from the bed. For a brief moment Bob hoped - he prayed to the
User that it was over.

She began to laugh.

And a pain like he had
not experienced in a long time set every nerve on fire. The wounds on his chest
suddenly seemed alive. Things moved within them, writhing and twisting, sending
Bob into agony and to his complete and mind-numbing horror, yellow worms burst
forth from wounds.

*

"User, NO!" Bob
came awake sitting upright in bed and his scream borne of fear and agony
shattered the silence.

He was covered in cold
sweat and his whole body trembled violently. His lungs were on fire and no
matter how hard he tried he couldn't seem to take in enough air. He was trapped
in that state for a few nanos, before he tore himself from his daze and slammed
his hand down on the control box on his nightstand. A vidwindow opened and
after a few nanos, a sleepy Dot answered, "Yes?"

"Dot!" Bob
cried.

She was instantly awake,
"Bob? Bob what is it, what's wrong?"

"Dot," he
couldn't seem to form any other words.

"Bob, what happened?
You look terrified!"

Still Bob couldn't form
the words that raced through his processor, please come now! I need you Dot!
Oh User, I need you!

He closed the connection
before she could reply. Bob just sat there in the darkness staring at nothing.

Unexpectedly, an image of
the dream flashed before him. His stomach gave a violent lurch and Bob dashed
into the bathroom. When his heaves quieted, Bob pulled himself up by hanging on
the edge of the sink and stared at his face in the mirror. Face pale and gaunt,
dark bruises under his eyes. "Bob, you are such a wuss."

Bob turned on the cold
water and splashed some on his face, then washed the foul taste from his mouth.
He was only in boxers and he shivered a little. Then he tossed a robe on, not
bothering to tie it and walked into the kitchen. He wasn't about to go back to
sleep. Just as he was reaching for a can of java his doorbell rang.

"Now who in the net
is that?" Bob hurried to the door and was shocked to find it was Dot. The
Command.com was wearing a baggy blue sweat suit; "Mainframe U" was
printed on the sweater. Still she looked even more beautiful to Bob.

"You going to stand
there all night or are you going to let me in?" she spoke into the
lengthening silence.

"Oh!" Bob
stepped back and closed the door when she was inside. Realizing his robe was
still open, he hastily tied it closed, "Sorry. What are you doing
here?"

"You asked me to
come, remember? Oh not in so many words, but I got the message."

"Dot," Bob felt
his face grow warm, "You didn't have to come. I really wish you
hadn't." He didn't think he could be more embarrassed.

"It was horrible
this time, wasn't it?" Dot whispered and wrapped her arms around him,
"The nightmare."

Bob reached for a mug
from the cupboard, acutely aware of her eyes on him. He had to play it cool. He
was already embarrassed beyond belief. The mug slipped from his shaking hand
and shattered as it hit the floor.

"No," Bob
whispered.

Dot was by his side in an
instant, "Bob?" She took his hand. "Bob you're trembling."

He shook his head in
useless denial. "I'm sorry Dot."

Dot lifted his chin with
two delicate fingers so he would look into her eyes. It was too much for Bob,
as much as he needed her now. He pulled her to him and kissed her, almost
roughly, "Dot."

"Yes, it's all right
Bob," she whispered against his mouth.

Bob lifted her into his
arms and carried her to his bedroom.

***

His clock said oh-two
hundred, yet Bob was wide-awake. He had tried to sleep several times after
their lovemaking but each time he sensed himself being pulled into a dream, he
awoke with a start and in turn would wake Dot. So he instead pulled her warm
soft body close to his and stared up into the darkness.

He knew he should see her
home. Enzo might need her and he didn't want her catching any grief for
spending the night with him, although it was nobody's business.

"What are you
thinking of?" Dot's voice drifted out of the darkness.

He smiled, "How did
you know I was awake?"

"Oh I have my
ways," Dot rose up and traced a pattern across his chest with one finger.

Bob tensed.

"What is it?"
Dot asked.

He shuddered
involuntarily, "N-nothing."

"It has to do with
the dream, doesn't it? Will you tell me now?"

Bob sighed in resignation
and pulled her to him and began to speak. When he finished, he felt her
shudder.

"Oh sweetheart, how
awful for you," Dot said, "Is there anything I can do?"

"All right."
Bob pulled on his robe and walked her to the door. "Thank you."

She smiled at him and
kissed him and then she was gone.

Well sleep was out of the
question for him now. He knew it was probably way too late to be doing this but
Bob changed into his own sweats and left the Eight Ball Arms, heading for Level
31.

Al's Wait and Eat was
open as usual. The only people there were two binomes and to Bob's astonishment
someone he hadn't seen in ages, Captain Syn. Bob had known the captain was
stranded in Mainframe until his ship was repaired, although where he would go
once it was was a mystery to the Prime Guardian. Since his bid to discredit Dot
had failed, people basically ignored him. Another sprite male Bob had never
seen before was sitting in the far corner.

Bob approached the bar
and Al's Waiter gave him a look of surprise.

"Hey Al, Bob's here.
Fire up the grill."

"What?"

Bob shook his head,
"I'm not here for food. Just a bottle of I/O shot, please and a
glass."

Needless to say, the
waiter was shocked, but he complied, setting the bottle and glass on the
counter before Bob.

"Thanks," Bob
said and carried his drink back to a booth in the shadowed far corner.

Bob poured his first shot
and tossed it down, cringing against the burning in his throat. He leaned
against the vinyl surface of the booth and closed his eyes as the liquor took
effect. Maybe if he got drunk enough, he could sleep and the dreams wouldn't
matter to him.

"Room for one
more?"

The voice startled him.
Bob opened his eyes to find Matrix standing before him. Bob hadn't even heard
him come in, much less approach his booth.

"Or did you want to
be alone?" Matrix said.

Bob motioned for him to
sit, "Hey, another glass here."

Al's waiter brought one
over, look from Bob to Matrix, shrugged and departed. Bob filled Matrix's
glass. The renegade tossed it down, much like Bob had done. For a while the two
sat in companionable silence.

"AndrAIa still at
the Super Computer?"

"Yeah."

"Guess I don't need
to ask why you're here."

"Same reason you
are," Matrix leaned back and closed his eyes as well. "So what are
you're nightmares about?"

"Figures,"
Matrix said, "And before you ask, no I haven't talked to him."

"I wasn't going to
ask. I know you haven't," Bob refilled their glasses. "I was talking
to Enzo the other night."

"Bob the kid runs
the other way every time I'm near him."

Bob frowned,
contemplating telling Matrix what Enzo had told him. Enzo hadn't said it was a
secret, "Well I wouldn't recommend cornering him or anything, but you'll
have to be in a situation when he can't run away."

"The only other time
is when he's with Melissa, and she looks at me like she wants to turn me into
null-bait every time."

Bob couldn't help but
chuckle, "Who does she remind you of?"

Now it was Matrix's turn
to laugh, "AndrAIa, with me. I still can't believe he fell for a
virus."

"Matrix," Bob
warned.

"Yeah, yeah, I
know," Matrix muttered. "I can't help how I feel, okay?"

"Yes you can,"
Bob said. "It would be like my blaming her for Daemon's actions."

Matrix leaned back and
tossed back his second shot, then reached for the bottle and poured a third.

"There's someone
else you need to talk to," Bob chose to sip his second drink.

"Dot."

"You're hurting
her."

Matrix slammed a balled
fist on the table, drawing attention from the other patrons.

"Why won't you talk
to her?"

"I don't want to talk
about this," Matrix said.

"You're going to
have to Matrix. You should know by now you can't run away from problems
forever."

"I know," he
said it so quietly, Bob barely heard.

"I won't pressure
you, Matrix."

Silence ruled for a time,
then Matrix spoke, "Did you ever think that you and I would be sharing a
quite drink?"

Bob smiled, finished off
his second, and poured a third, "Nope or at least not for another twelve
hours."

Captain Syn watched with
all the loathing in his core-com as the two sprites shared a drink at the booth
across the room. He spent most of his time in this dive of a bar now. Where
else could he go? Even when they did repair his ship his system had been destroyed,
his crew had deserted him and he was still reeling from the fact that his first
mate had been a spy for Daemon.

He could hop a shuttle
somewhere. They arrived periodically now, although one wasn't due for a while.
He could ask that old coot at the Principal Office to portal him to the Super
Computer but doubt his request would be granted.

It was all Dot Matrix's
fault.

"May I join
you?"

Syn looked up. The sprite
had been sitting a few booths down from him. He was a bald, orange-skinned
dwarf of a man with a pinched face. "No," the captain muttered.

"That's too
bad," the sprite's voice was amiable. "Because I thought you might be
interested in assisting us in our endeavors."

"What in the net are
you talking about?" "We know all about you, Captain Syn. How Dot
Matrix ruined you," his voice lowered to a conspiratorial whisper.
"Wouldn't you like some payback?"

"Who are you?"
Syn hissed.

"Oh, let's just say
I'm part of a group of people who don't like the Prime Guardian or Dot Matrix
very much."

"Leftovers from the
war, eh?" Syn smirked, "I know they didn't catch all of you."

For a moment, the man's
face changed to something menacing, "Would you listen to my proposition?
If you're not interested in revenge --,"